VOLUNTEER GUIDELINES
-
- Responsibilities of CFA Society Boston Committee Members
- Volunteer Code of Conduct
- Chair
- Vice Chair
- Mentor Match Code of Conduct
CFA Society Boston recognizes its volunteers as one of its most valuable resources. The guiding principles of working as a volunteer are as follows:
-
- All volunteers, CFA Society Boston's staff, the Board and officers of CFA Society Boston are expected to work in the spirit of cooperation and collegiality. All mentors are working to support their mentees, and not for their own individual agendas.
- CFA Society Boston's staff will assist volunteers to maximize their efficacy by providing the support necessary to execute the role of the volunteers.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF CFA SOCIETY BOSTON COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Each committee member should:
-
- Be committed to the mission of CFA SOCIETY BOSTON.
- Become familiar with, the CFA SOCIETY BOSTON Strategic Plan.
- Actively participate in planning and implementing short- and long-range goals.
- Devote the time and effort required to accomplish the committee’s objectives.
- Fulfill assignments on a timely basis.
Each committee member must:
-
- Be in good standing with the society.
- Attend the majority of committee meetings and participate in the majority of conference calls.
Committee chairs serve 1-year terms & may serve as chair for a maximum of 3 years. Committee members also serve 1-year terms and may serve a maximum of 6 consecutive years (including any time as chair).
VOLUNTEER CODE OF CONDUCT
-
- Volunteers do not and shall not have the authority to speak for CFA Society Boston or the Board and Officers unless explicitly authorized by the Board to do so.
- All volunteers are expected to act professionally with both decorum and discretion. In situations that are unusual and/or where there is uncertainty as to appropriate action, the volunteers should seek direction from their committee Chair and, in the absence of such Chair, from the Executive Director of CFA Society Boston.
- To protect the privacy of society members, CFA Society Boston volunteers will not use or disclose any confidential information, data or material relating to the business affairs or property of CFA Society Boston or its members.
- Volunteers must remember that they are working on behalf of the society in to serve the interests of the members, not their own interests.
- Volunteers are reminded that all CFA Institute members adhere to the CFA Institute’s “Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct” requiring that they conduct themselves within the proper ethical and professional guidelines.
- We want to see your pictures! All volunteers are encouraged to post on social media and must adhere to the CFA Society Boston Social Media Guidelines when posting. Contact lscardina@cfaboston.org for questions.
Committee members who fail to complete the mandatory requirements or do not follow the volunteer code of conduct may be removed from their volunteer duties.
While leaders of some volunteer groups may have additional responsibilities, the following are descriptions of their core responsibilities and terms:
CHAIR
Position Description:
The key roles of the chair and/or co-chair are facilitation, coordination, communication and volunteer group leadership – ensuring that the volunteers, including ad hoc volunteers, are actively engaged in the achievement of CFA Society Boston’s work plan. This individual, in collaboration with the staff liaison and vice chair, if applicable, actively participates in the work of the group, provides thoughtful input to the deliberations, and focuses on the best interests of CFA Society Boston and its membership rather than the interests of an individual or limited group, and works toward the accomplishment of the volunteer groups’ goals as described in the strategic plan.
Position Term:
2-year term with eligibility to extend for 1-year. The ideal candidate will have served a 1-year term as Vice Chair prior to appointment as Chair.
Committee members also serve 1-year term and may serve a maximum of 6 consecutive years (including any time as chair and vice chair).
Responsibilities:
-
- Attends all committee meetings (in person, conference call, and virtual), generally including committee hosted programs as well as the Society’s Annual Meeting in June. (And in the case of an unavoidable conflict, the chair will reach out to the vice chair to fill in for the chair for that specific meeting.)
- Engages in and is supportive of CFA Society Boston’s overall leadership and planning process, including the society’s strategic plan.
- Works with CFA Society Boston staff to develop meeting agendas.
- Reviews all relevant material prior to the meetings. Prepares to make contributions, facilitates discussions, and voices objective opinions concerning the group’s issues and activities.
- Promotes volunteer involvement by maintaining an understanding of CFA Society Boston activities, discussions and programs.
- In collaboration with the group’s staff liaison, promotes clarity within the group on its role and how it supports and fits within CFA Society Boston.
- Communicates regularly with group members to ensure that volunteer obligations are fulfilled by addressing concerns about volunteer performance (e.g. poor attendance, missed deadlines, etc.).
- Responds promptly to correspondence and information requests; and takes a leadership role to involve ad hoc volunteers, as needed, in various projects throughout the year.
- Supports CFA Society Boston’s policy of diversity and inclusion by assisting in the identification and growth of future CFA Society Boston leaders, including identifying and encouraging a diverse group of applicants to the group and its projects.
- Assists in formulating content resources that will further the goals and objectives of the group and CFA Society Boston.
- Actively engage on the society’s members only platform Connect in the corresponding member topic area community and volunteer committee community.
- Promotes CFA Society Boston and its volunteer groups by actively leading CFA Society Boston membership recruitment/retention and promotional activities within the group when requested by staff.
- Maintains current membership in CFA Society Boston and CFA Institute during the volunteer term.
- Immediately informs the staff liaison if personal or professional circumstances change to the extent that they cause disruption in the ability to perform the above-listed responsibilities.
- Accepts and completes special assignments as requested.
VICE CHAIR
Position Description:
The key roles of the vice chair are to assist the chair and their staff liaison in facilitation, coordination and communication – ensuring that the volunteers including open volunteers are actively engaged in the achievement of CFA Society Boston’s work plan. The Vice Chair should also seek to develop an understanding of CFA Society Boston’s overall strategic framework and build connections to prepare the Vice Chair to serve in the chair role. This individual, in collaboration with the staff liaisons and chair, actively participates in the work of the group, provides thoughtful input to the deliberations, and focuses on the best interests of CFA Society Boston and the membership rather than personal or constituent interests, and works toward the accomplishment of the goals as described in the strategic plan.
Position Term:
One year commitment with eligibility to serve term as Chair in the upcoming member year. The vice chair fulfills the responsibilities of the chair at meetings, on projects, etc., when the chair is unavailable.
Responsibilities:
-
- Attends all committee meetings (in person, conference call, and virtual), generally including committee hosted programs as well as the Society’s Annual Meeting in June.
- Engages in and is supportive of CFA Society Boston’s overall leadership and planning process.
- Reviews all relevant material prior to the meetings. Prepares to make contributions, facilitate discussions, and voice objective opinions concerning the group’s issues and activities.
- Supports the chair in communicating regularly with members to ensure that volunteer obligations are fulfilled.
- Promotes volunteer involvement by maintaining an understanding of activities, discussions and programs across CFA Society Boston, as well as those activities specific to your volunteer group and its subcommittees.
- Promotes clarity within the group on its role and how it supports and fits within CFA Society Boston.
- Supports CFA Society Boston’s policy of diversity and inclusion by assisting in the identification and growth of future CFA Society Boston leaders, including identifying and encouraging a diverse group of applicants to the group and its projects.
- Assists in formulating content resources that will further the goals and objectives of the group and CFA Society Boston.
- Take a leadership role in actively posting and engaging on the society’s members only platform Connect in the corresponding member topic area community and volunteer committee community.
- Promotes CFA Society Boston and its volunteer groups by actively leading CFA Society Boston membership recruitment/retention and promotional activities within the group when requested by staff.
- Responds promptly to correspondence and information requests; and takes a leadership role to involve open volunteers in various projects throughout the year.
- Represents the group in other meetings of other CFA Society Boston groups as requested.
- Maintains current membership in CFA Society Boston and CFA Institute during the volunteer term.
- Immediately informs the staff liaison and chair of the group if personal or professional circumstances change to the extent that they cause disruption in the ability to perform the above-listed responsibilities.
- Accepts and completes special assignments as requested.
MENTOR MATCH CODE OF CONDUCT
To foster a positive and professional mentoring experience, all participants in the Mentor Match participants agree to uphold the following principles:
1. Participation and Commitment to Program
-
- Mentees are permitted to participate with only one mentor per program year.
- Student and Candidate Mentees are permitted to request Emerging Leader Mentors
- Respect the time and energy both parties are contributing to the mentoring relationship
- Prioritize regular meetings and follow through on scheduled commitments
- Notify your mentor or mentee in advance if you need to reschedule or pause the relationship
2. Professionalism and Respect
-
- Conduct all interactions with courtesy, honesty, and mutual respect.
- Listen actively and communicate clearly, with openness to feedback and diverse perspectives.
- Maintain appropriate boundaries and keep all conversations professional in nature.
- Participants should not solicit employment opportunities from their mentor or request introductions to others for the purpose of obtaining a job.
3. Confidentiality
-
- Keep all discussions within the mentoring relationship confidential, unless given explicit permission to share.
- Do not disclose personal or professional information shared in confidence.
4. Ethical Behavior
-
- Avoid any conflict of interest, exploitation, or behavior that could be perceived as coercive or inappropriate.
- Adhere to CFA Institute’s Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct
- Report any concerns about conduct or professionalism to program administrators at membership@cfaboston.org.
By participating in the Mentor Match Program, you agree to uphold this Code of Conduct and contribute to a safe, meaningful, and mutually beneficial mentoring experience.